Walk through the fire
by TroubleMaker1397
Summary: The road to happiness is not always straight forward and most of the time is littered with bumps and obstacles before you get there...
1. Chapter 1

It was a hotter than average day in the city of Chicago when truck were running through drills under the careful instruction of Lieutenant Matthew Casey. They were working up a sweat as the sun beamed down on them, Mouch was huffing and puffing the hardest while sending small glares at his Lieutenant as he called for them to go through it again.

"Are we getting punished for something?" Mouch asked one of his oldest friends, Chris Herrmann who stood beside him huffing slightly less than Mouch. Herrmann just shook his head in exhaustion and couldn't help but think that he was getting too old for this. Just as they were going to go through the drill all over again, the loud screeching of tyres drew their attention away from the task at hand. A black tinted car came speeding up the street and stopped abruptly on the foot of firehouse 51's driveway. The crew of truck 81 stared at the vehicle that was clear to see was a bangers car from the modifications of the shiny big alloys and loud music coming from inside until a Hispanic looking man got out from the passenger side, a large tattoo running up one side of his neck and some visible tattoos on his knuckles and wrists before disappearing up the sleeve of his coat. Lieutenant Casey narrowed his eyes, expecting trouble as the man approached the group who all paused in anticipation on what this gang banger wanted coming to 51.

"Hey, is Gabby Dawson here?" The young man asked as he got a few feet away from the group. The rest of the group tensed in surprise as Casey's frown got deeper in worry.

"Yeah," Casey replied, really wanting to deny her presence to keep her away from this young man who looked like nothing but trouble.

"Cruz go let Dawson know that she has a visitor." Casey ordered without taking his eyes off the man who he saw as a threat to the firehouse and especially to Gabby. Cruz nodded in compilation as he walked back to the firehouse and soon found Gabby sitting with Shay in the common room, eating some chips as she typed on her laptop.

"Hey Dawson, you have a visitor on the driveway." Cruz announced in an unhappy tone. Dawson raised an eyebrow curiously, Shay's interest was also peeked at the fact that Joe looked like he was trying to hold something back. Gabby immediately set her food and laptop aside as she got up and followed Joe out towards the apparatus floor, Shay trailing behind. Just as she reached the driveway she saw her visitor and her face turned from curious to angry pretty fast. Casey, Mills and the rest of truck 81 took in her expression and could easily see that she wasn't pleased at all to see the young man's face. The young man held up his hands as if he was surrendering as soon as he saw her face of thunder.

"Don't be like that Gabs, I just need 10 minutes of your time." The man said immediately, attempting to pacify her. Mills, her boyfriend, frowned at how familiar he seemed with her and crossed his arms with a frown as Gabby seemed to comply with the man's wishes.

"You have 5." Gabby responded before walking towards the black tinted car. As she passed the man she bumped her shoulder into his purposefully, showing her displeasure. The man smirked and huffed out a laugh, amused at her fire. Worrying the group at 51 even more as the man turned round and trailed behind her. When Gabby got to the driver's side of the car, she knocked on the glass hard with her fist.

"Get out Angelo!" Gabby exclaimed before the door opened to reveal another Hispanic male with slightly less tattoos but still unmistakably a gang banger.

"How'd you know it was me?" Angelo whined as he climbed out from the low car. Gabby rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"Because Leo doesn't go anywhere without you." Gabby replied with a smirk. Leo huffed an annoyed sigh as he gestured for her to get in the driver's side of the car. Angelo waited outside, lighting a cigarette as he sat on the bonnet of the car facing the fire-fighters who were still discreetly watching the interaction between the Hispanic men and their PIC.

"What did I tell you about coming to my work place?" Gabby immediately questioned as she faced Leo angrily.

"Well I wouldn't have to if you were at home." Leo retorted but with a question in his words.

"I've got a boyfriend, been spending a lot of time at his place lately." Gabby truthfully replied, her anger fading slowly.

"Oh yeah? I was beginning to think that you moved without telling me," Leo replied with a raised eyebrow. Gabby just rolled her eyes in exasperation with the younger man.

"So which one of these respectable men is it?" Leo asked curiously as he rolled his tinted window down so that he could light a smoke and to get a better look at the men of truck 81 who continued with their drills while eyeing the car out of the corner of their eyes.

"What makes you think that it's one of them?" Gabby asked as she sneaked a glance at two men in particular in the group.

"Because I know you and I know that look on your face," Leo turned his attention away from the group and turned to face her with a serious expression on his face. Gabby said nothing in response but couldn't hold back a snort.

"Is this mystery man treating you right?" He asked her again seriously.

"Yes." Gabby replied while looking at the group, not facing the man beside her.

"Good." Leo shortly responded. Gabby turned her head to look at the man beside her again in curiosity.

"Why did you come here?" Gabby asked with a sliver of worry in her voice.

"I wanted to see you, it's been a few weeks since we last saw each other." Leo replied immediately while looking into her familiar eyes, he gently placed his tattooed hand over hers that rested in the centre arm rest.

"Is something wrong? Are you in trouble Leo?" Gabby asked with the worry evident now. Leo smiled and it suddenly reminded Gabby of how young he is.

"When aren't I in trouble?" Leo replied with a small laugh, easing some of the worry on the older woman's face.

"We are all trouble you know? Me, You... Antonio." Gabby said, mentioning the one person that they don't see eye to eye on. Leo stiffened at the mention of Antonio and his face screwed up in displeasure.

"Oh yeah, what have you done now?" Leo asked, voice barely above a whisper as he fought to keep his emotions under control.

"I was facing criminal charges for sticking a needle in a girls heart who was going to die without it." Gabby replied trying to get Leo to loosen up again. Cursing herself for mentioning Antonio to Leo.

"You did the right thing, you always do the right thing Gabs," Leo said squeezing her hand in his larger one.

"Anyway Antonio would have got you out of them charges." Leo bitterly commented a few seconds later. Gabby sighed unhappily at the stiff air that suddenly seemed to suffocate her. Just as she was about to say something else her radio came to life.

 _"Ambulance 61, Man down from unknown causes 76th Jefferson and Rye"_

Gabby sighed in exasperation and the wrong timing for a call.

"Come round my place on Thursday and I'll cook for you." Gabby quickly said as she prepared to bolt out of the car

"Yeah okay." Leo said while nodding his head. Gabby nodded before jumping out of the car, startling Angelo who was still leaning on the bonnet. Just as Gabby was about to run over to the ambo Leo got out and said her name, Causing her to turn round to face him again.

"You stay safe alright?" Leo said seriously, Gabby let out a small smile and nodded.

"You too Leo, See you Thursday." Gabby said before running over to the already running engine of the ambo, Shay waiting patiently for Gabby to climb in.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Silence reigned over the inside of the ambulance as the sirens on the outside continued to blare loudly.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Shay asked with a sigh a few minutes later when the quietness got too much for her to bear. Gabby shook her head stubbornly, not even looking at Shay but the road ahead. Shay sighed again while muttering a sarcastic 'alright'. When they reached the location of the call they immediately got to work checking the vitals of the elderly man who took a nasty fall before loading him into the back of the ambulance and driving him to Chicago Med to get him checked out.

After the paperwork was filled out, they headed back to the firehouse. Gabby not wanting to answer any questions about her unexpected visitor from earlier. She was too pre-occupied rubbing her eyes from exhaustion to notice the unmarked cop car parked on the road opposite the firehouse when they pulled in.

Gabby jumped out of the ambulance first with Shay trailing a few feet behind before Gabby stopped in her tracks at seeing the man dressed in a leather jacket standing in the lobby of the firehouse, waiting for her. Gabby internally groaned at seeing her brother waiting for her and an anger was building inside of her at the betrayal of people that she thought of as family.

Antonio never said a word but gestured his index finger for her to come forward before leading her into the conference room. Shay shot them a glance before continuing into the common room and silently taking a seat at the long table, the rest of the people in the common room unusually quiet as they waited for the siblings to talk.

As soon as Gabby passed through the double doors of the conference room, Antonio slammed the doors shut with considerable force, letting Gabby know exactly what mood he was in.

"So I got an interesting call earlier," Antonio started as he walked over to the table and pulled out a chair and then gestured for Gabby to sit on it.

"Oh yeah? who was it?" Gabby replied in a voice laced with anger while she walked over to take the seat offered by her brother. Antonio ignored her question and continued to stare at her from a few feet away, still standing up. Gabby felt like one of Antonio's criminals in interrogation with the way he was staring at her.

"Normally I don't care who visits you but now imagine my surprise when I heard that your visitor was a young Hispanic male gangbanger," Antonio said, barely suppressing the anger he felt.

"You know a name does come to mind when I think about Hispanic male gangbangers," Antonio continued with sarcasm as he paced in front of me. I raised one of my eyebrows while looking at my brother, not impressed with his little act.

"So what I want to know Gabriela is... Why the fuck is Leo Santiago visiting you?!" Antonio started off calmly before dropping the act and shouted the question loud enough for the entire firehouse to hear.

"You might have a problem with Leo but I do not! He needs help!" Gabby answered immediately back with anger in her voice also, not at all scared of her brother's anger that started boiling over.

"Help?" Antonio rhetorically asked while letting out a disbelieving chuckle as he rubbed his forehead in aggravation.

"Here's a newsflash Gabby, you're not helping him! He's just dragging you down into the gutter with him." Antonio said loudly as he tried to get through to his stubborn sister.

"He's not! If I won't help him who would huh?" Gabby fiery shot back as she got up from her chair, tired of being the criminal in Antonio's game of cops and robbers.

"I tried to help him, years ago! And look where he is now huh? He's one of the highest ranking members of the Latin Kings!" Antonio shouted back, pulling at his hair in frustration.

"I know who he is! But despite that he's still family!" Gabby yelled back.

"He's NOT FAMILY!" Antonio completely lost it, kicking a chair over to vent his anger and what his sister had just said. Gabby jumped back at the sudden rage that filled Antonio's eyes as he yelled loud enough for even the people on the street to hear. Gabby decided to shut her mouth as she could see that there was no getting through to Antonio when he's this worked up. A few minutes passed as the siblings just looked at each other in silence, trying to understand why the other won't just back down but unfortunately those words were not in the Dawson dictionary.

Gabby thought that the people in the common room must think that they've killed each other by how silent the room they were in just got.

"If you want to help Leo, then fine you do that, but do NOT come crying to me when he disappoints you like I know he will." Antonio said in a much quieter calmer voice after a few minutes. Gabby attempted to say something but Antonio just held up his hand, not wanting to hear anymore words coming from Gabby's mouth. Antonio soon brushed past Gabby to get to the door and left without saying anything else. Gabby stared after him for a few seconds longer before letting loose a groan and proceeded to kick a nearby chair over in frustration at the situation.

Gabby took a few minutes to take deep breaths in an attempt to calm down before remembering that someone at the house went behind her back and called her brother and that this whole confrontation is their fault. Gabby narrowed her eyes in anger before storming out of the conference room, down the corridor and into the common room where she found all of 51. Her presence quieting down the few conversations that were taking place inside the room.

"So which one of you or ones of you thought that it would be a good idea to call my brother?" Gabby asked in a low voice, barely controlling her anger and hurt as she crossed her arms over her chest, resisting the urge to punch something.

"We were just a little concerned-" Cruz started to talk but Gabby held her hand up, hearing enough.

"Why don't everyone mind their own fucking business hmm?" Gabby said in a louder tone as she clenched her hands that rested in the creases of each elbow. Everyone was dead silent as they stared at Gabby in shock, knowing that she rarely swore at all.

"Clearly there's a loyalty problem here, since you guys thought you could go behind my back and talk to my brother about who I'm speaking with!" Gabby shouted, not impressed with what she thought happened.

"Leave them alone, It was me that called your brother." Mills interjected, standing behind the cooker in the kitchen. Gabby let out a small chuckle in disbelief.

"Oh that's even worse, now I have my boyfriend spying on me for my brother." Gabby angrily snapped, trying to keep the rage back.

"It wasn't like that! I was just concerned-" Mills replied quickly, trying to calm Gabby down but Gabby wasn't having any of it.

"About what? Cause he's a gangbanger? He didn't do anything to you! He wasn't rude to you was he? He wasn't aggressive in any way was he? He didn't so much as swear at you!" Gabby cut off Mills before he could fully justify his reasons.

"He's in the Latin Kings Gabby!" Cruz interjected, trying to justify their concern but Gabby didn't care.

"For Fuck's sake I know!" Gabby shouted in exasperation. Just before Gabby was about to talk again, everyone's eyes focused on a figure standing behind her. Gabby turned round to see Chief Boden looking at Gabby unhappily, probably hearing the screaming match all the way from his office.

"Dawson take this shift off." Chief Boden demanded in a non-nonsense voice as he stared into the unhappy eyes of his PIC who was a hot head undoubtedly but he could definitely say that he has never seen her like this before.

"Gladly," Dawson replied while turning round to take one last look at the guilty face of Mills and the other faces of the rest of the house who didn't want to look her in the eye except Casey who was frowning at Gabby in concern but Gabby just brushed it off.

"I have some business to attend to." Gabby threw over her shoulder as she walked out of the common room and down the corridor to collect her bag from her locker, not even bothering to get changed into her other clothes as she rushed to leave the one place she thought she could always rely on. She hurriedly walked back down the corridor, not sparing the common room a glance as she travelled past it, also ignoring the calls of her name by Mills. Gabby didn't even slow down when she got to her car, she quickly put it into gear and pulled away fast, causing her tyres to squeal in protest.

It wasn't till later that night, when she was a six pack of beer in, did someone knock on her door. Gabby groaned, at the thought of getting up off the couch and of the thought that it was someone that she would have to talk to. She carefully manoeuvred herself off the couch and unsteadily walked towards the door, unceremoniously flinging it open so that she could lean against its side. Gabby looked at the figure in surprise.

"What are you doing here?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Matthew Casey was stood outside my door in his full bunker gear, clearly having been in a fire recently as soot was smudged across his face. Matt shrugged while keeping his eyes on Gabby as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Can I come in?" He asked, not answering Gabby's question of why he was here as he took a look down Gabby's corridor before entering her apartment with her consent. Gabby didn't even try to hide the empty beer cans that lay on her coffee table and of course that was the first thing Matt's eyes found.

"Want one?" Gabby offered even though she already knew the answer to that question.

"No, still on duty." Matt replied immediately as he looked around her apartment, having never really been inside before since everyone always likes to socialise at the bars in their off duty hours.

"You left the poor guys in the truck?" Gabby asked as she moved towards the window to sneak a peek outside, expecting to find truck 81 parked outside but she was surprised to just see Matt's construction truck outside.

"No, we went back to the firehouse after a fire call 20 minutes ago and I drove here in my truck." Matt explained, still not answering the question that Gabby desperately wanted to know, so like the Dawson she is, Gabby cut straight to the point.

"Why are you here Matt?" Gabby asked bluntly as she studied his features, but his face gave nothing away as they remained standing a few feet away from each other in her living area.

"I wanted to see how you are." Matt replied while looking straight at Gabby. She laughed in disbelief and confusion at how bad of a liar Matt is.

"I'm fine," Gabby answered while taking a sip of my beer, Matt watching my every motion critically.

"I've got the night off work and I have beer, couldn't be happier." She finished while taking another long sip from her near empty can. Matt nodded his head as he looked out the window into the dark night and then turned back to look into her eyes, trying to figure something out but clearly not finding whatever he was looking for.

"Okay, Mills is pretty upset from your argument." Matt replied, trying to bait her into a response she wasn't going to give him. Gabby just shrugged carelessly.

"Wanna watch TV?" Gabby asked, picking up the remote control from the couch as she plopped herself down on her two-seater couch. Matt suddenly looks disappointed as she ignores his comment about Peter.

"No, I better get back to the firehouse." Matt replies as he throws a thumb over his shoulder to illustrate his intent. Gabby nodded, expecting his response but still disappointed that despite separating from Hallie a few months ago, he still did not like socialising with just herself.

"Ok." Gabby replied simply, hiding her emotions as she turned on her TV, ignoring Matt's presence, as she flicked through the channels carelessly. She could feel Matt's eyes boring into the side of her head but she never turned her head the slightest bit towards him. Matt let out a barely audible sigh as he headed towards the door, he had just released the safety chain on Gabby's door before turning back around to look at Gabby's figure on the couch.

"Hey, you can talk to me if you have something on your mind or-" Matt started to say in his lieutenant voice as he tried to reach Gabby's emotional state but Gabby cut him off before he could finish his offer.

"I'm fine, but thanks." Gabby cut his sentence off quickly, turning her head to take one last look at Matt who nodded in acknowledgement that she didn't want his counsel, though Gabby noted his visible disappointment , before he let himself out of her apartment.

Gabby's next two days off were pretty quiet, she never heard anything from Antonio and she couldn't help but be disappointed. Shay and Mills were texting her non-stop the past couple of days but Gabby just ignored it as it probably involved a conversation that she didn't want to have. Tonight Leo was coming round for dinner and Gabby was in the process of making a grilled chicken, tomato and basil pasta that was one of Gabby's favourite recipes. A knock on her door startled her as the buzzer never went off and she quickly turned down the heat on the hob as she made her way to her front door, expecting Leo on the other side but was surprised to see Mills on the other side of the door instead.

"What are you doing here?" Gabby immediately asked with a frown. Mills seemed subdued and gave Gabby a small smile.

"I haven't heard from you, figured I'd pop round to see how you are." Mills replied, Gabby looked at him emotionlessly before stepping back a bit, letting him in briefly.

"Wow something smells great!" Mills commented while seeing the set table for two and he turned back to face Gabby with a raised eyebrow.

"I have a guest coming round soon so..." Gabby explained while also trying to get Mills to leave.

"Oh, right" Mills said in reply, a bit awkwardly. He rubbed the back of his head with his hand while Gabby stood a few feet away with crossed arms. The silence in the room lasted a bit longer while they stared at each other before Mills sighed and dropped his shoulders in defeat.

"I want to apologise, for calling Antonio and betraying your trust," Mills said, looking Gabby in the eyes as he talked to his girlfriend.

"I shoulder never have gone behind your back like that but in my defence, I only did it because I was concerned." Gabby's frown was starting to recede before Mills next sentence.

"There was nothing for you to be concerned about! I never said that anything was wrong when Leo showed up." Gabby argued, her anger come back at Mills who couldn't just apologise and leave it at that.

"Who even is this guy Gabby? enough for you to fall out with Antonio over?" Mills asked the question Gabby was sure everyone wanted to know, with jealousy clearly displayed in his voice.

"This is my family's business and none of yours " Gabby bit back fiercely, making Mills even more frustrated at his girlfriend who didn't want to talk to him.

"According to Antonio it isn't." Mills retorted viciously, thinking back to when Antonio was yelling that the man isn't family and Gabby couldn't resist her urge to slap him so she did, the sound echoing off the walls of the small apartment. Silence then over took the room as they continued to stare at each other, Mills in shock and Gabby in rage. Gabby suddenly moved across the room and yanked open the door quickly.

"I want you to leave." Gabby said, her voice barely controlling her emotions. Mills moved across the room to stand in front of her, apology written all over his face.

"I'm sorry Gabs, I didn't-" Mills started, but Gabby cut him off with a face of stone as she pointed into the corridor.

"I don't think we should see each other anymore." Gabby quietly told him as he stepped out into the empty corridor. Mills face couldn't hide his emotions as he protested.

"Gabby-" Mills started but Gabby never let him finish again as she started speaking again.

"It's for the best." Gabby explained, from her door way.

"No-" Mills started to protest again before a voice cut him off from his right.

"Is there a problem here?" Leo asked with narrowed eyes at the stranger who looked to be bothering Gabby. Leo had just come down the corridor when he saw the man, he vaguely remembered from the firehouse come out of Gabby's apartment and Gabby did not look happy with him from where he was standing. Mills and Gabby looked over at Leo in surprise as they didn't hear him arrive. Mills looked at Gabby then back to Leo before he understood that Leo was Gabby's guest for dinner and he huffed out an unhappy sigh.

"No, this is none of your business." Mills said to Leo, who didn't take to kindly to that response.

"Whatever is Gabby's business is my business." Leo replied while taking a threatening step towards Mills who started to square up too, anticipating a fight.

"Stop it!" Gabby yelled, drawing their attention to her who didn't look happy at the two men arguing.

"Mills just leave." Gabby said, aggravated with the situation and the stubbornness of Peter who she could tell was going to pick a fight with Leo who did not need much to set him off, just like her. Mills looked at her for a minute more before nodding in defeat and move to walk past Leo who was in his way.

"Stay away from my sister." Leo demanded as they walked past each other, Leo entered Gabby's apartment and the door soundly closed behind them.

Mills stared at the now closed door in shock and confusion. _Sister?_


End file.
